What the future holds for refugees

28-October-2002

International conference: Refugees and social transformation in the Asia-Pacific

Is 'fortress Australia' an adequate policy response to the refugee flows that will occur across the Asia-Pacific region in the medium and long-term?

An international conference to be held at the University of Wollongong on Friday 25 October will examine the topical issue of refugees in light of the fact that refugee numbers are likely to both increase markedly and change in nature and direction over the coming years.

The conference is being conducted by CAPSTRANS, the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies which is an Australian Research Centre funded Key Centre of Teaching and Research. The one-day conference aims to provide participants with an understanding of the regional context of refugee issues as a lens through which to examine legal, policy and media aspects of Australia's refugee policy

. "We will explore the future implication of maintaining the current refugee policy in a region of rapid change and increasing instability," CAPSTRANS Interim Director, Associate Professor Andrew Wells, said.

The program will include:

• An examination of migration (internal and external) and refugee trends in the broader Asia Pacific region and their impact on social transformation in the region. Areas of focus may include South-east Asia and China, the Indian rim and the Middle East
• Australian and international legal obligations: treaties, conventions
• Policy responses to recent refugee flows: Europe, Australian and Asia
• Representations of refugee issues in the Australian media

Among the speakers attending the conference will be 4 Corners journalist, Debbie Whitmont (Refugees and the Australian Media); barrister Nick Poynder (Refugees and Australian and international law); Professor Alastair Davidson (who will update the latest situation from a European perspective); and from Indonesia Drs Abdul Haris, of the Centre for Population and Policy Studies, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia; and the author of the book Fear of Security: Australia's Invasion Anxiety, Dr Anthony Burke of the University of Adelaide.

Conference time and venue: 9am-5.30pm, Friday 25 October, McKinnon Bldg (No.67).

Media please note: The following people are available for media interviews leading up to the conference ­ Dr John Minns (02- 4221 3465); Associate Professor Andrew Wells (02- 4221 3668); or Jo Coghlan (02-4221 3692 or 02- 4227 2130).

Organisers would like the media to announce that any member of the public wishing to register for the conference should contact Jo Coghlan on 02-4221 3692. The conference is directed at teachers, educators, policy makers, community workers and those generally interested in refugee politics.